Kohistan bifurcation: KP govt decides to hold jirga

MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to call a grand jirga of elders from Upper and Lower Kohistan to end
differences among the local people following the bifurcation of Kohistan into two districts.

“We have decided to unite the people living in Upper and Lower Kohistan districts and the disgruntled elements from Palas,” Zargul Khan, PTI Hazara division president told reporters here on Saturday.

He said the PTI government would find a solution to address the grievances of all the people.

“We are going to call a grand jirga within the
next 15 days to end tension following the bifurcation of Kohistan into two districts,” he said.

“We will discuss the options to resolve issues among the people of Palas and take into confidence all concerned parties or give Palas the status of another district,” he added.

Zargul Khan said that PTI had given due importance to people of Kohistan as it had the potential to meet the energy needs of the country.

“We want unity among all the people living in Kohistan that has the potential to produce over 22,000 megawatts electricity. Kohistan is the gateway to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” he maintained.

He said that during the last couple of weeks prominent political personalities from Dassu, Pattan and Palas joined the PTI and Kohistan had become a stronghold of the party.

“Though we couldn’t secure enough number of votes in the last general election, I am sure that PTI would secure one national and three provincial assembly seats from Kohistan,” Zargul Khan concluded.